Finding character at the fair
Although agriculture is not the dominant industry here that it once was, farming is still an important contributor to the economy of Washington County and a continuous influence on the character of its population. Our annual celebration of farming – the Washington County Fair – gets under way this afternoon with judging in the exhibit halls and an antique tractor pull this evening at the grandstand.
The fair gets into full swing Saturday and doesn’t conclude until the following Saturday night. As usual, the event competes for attention with the annual Pony League World Series at Washington Park. Local residents and visitors should attend both if they hope to get a real taste of what Washington County and its people are like.
It’s difficult to find much character at a shopping mall or a gambling casino, but it’s easy to detect the warmth of hospitality at Lew Hays Field during the Pony Series. And character – all its tradition and history – is everywhere at the fair.
The county fair has a comforting sameness. You can walk through the pungent darkness of the horse barn and emerge into the bright sunlight of what might be any year gone by. The sights and sounds are indistinguishable from those of the past: the whirling and clattering carnival rides, the aroma of frying onions and sausage, the clanging of the trolley bell, the bursts of applause from the judging tents, the crowing of roosters.
Farmers’ markets provide fresh, locally grown produce that’s beneficial to our health and our economy. In a way, the county fair is a giant farmers’ market that’s dependent upon and worthy of our participation and support.